Antiskid finger clip



' June 4, 1940.

S R s, ma. n40u WH ,R 2, ve Jm 2 mw j 3. Ya @A A ce @D YW B W f a U 9 f(O ,n /l. u s o s R E @E W w. w 1, @2 w Y l m L. ,zal ma ,l H. D M I @E m 1 4 Q w .w NR E. G H n., \MA W3 m F l m! l 7(\|O m 1 m C Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE ANTI SKID FINGER. CLIP Application August 1,

4 Claims.

vices of the type adapted to be applied to the fingers of an operator for the purpose of facilitating the dealing of cards, counting of paper money or coupons, the turning of the pages of a book, and other similar manipulations of flexible sheet materials.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved antiskid finger clip of the general type above referred to, which is simple and light in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, which lends itself easily to mass production, which can be easily applied to the fingers of the operator and comfortably used, which permits use of a pencil or pen while the clip is in position, which is easily adjustable to t iingers of any size or shape, which is sanitary and veasily washable, which can be safely used without injuring the fingers or injuring the manipulated sheets, which does not affect the sense of touch nor stop the circulation of blood, and which is rugged,` durable and eliicient in use.

Various other objects yof the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing flexible sheets in the process of being successively turned by a finger, on which a nger clip embodying the present invention is applied,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one form of finger clip embodying the present invention, and shown on a greatly enlarged scale,

Figs. 3 and 4 Iaresections taken on lines 3-3 and 4 4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the metal frame piece forming the core of the finger clip, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a smaller form of iinger clip, embodying the present invention, and shown on an enlarged scale, said section being taken along a plane. coeXtensive with one face of the metal frame piece.

In the specific form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the finger clip I0 comprises a jacket I2 of rubber or similar resilient material, molded and vulcanized around a metal frame piece II tor form a firm inseparable unit therewith, and constituting a reinforcing core for said jacket. This frame piece II comprises a iiat strip of easily bendable or pliant non-corrosive, nontoxic metal, desirably stamped from a ribbonlike blank strip. I have found ductible Monel metal containing approximately about 68% nickel, 28% copper and about 2% iron highly desirable for that purpose.

The frame core piece II is provided with a series of aligned comparatively narrow elongated slots I3, three being shown, extending longitudinally and medially of said piece, and inter- 1939, Serial No. 287,716

spaced by transverse sections I4 of the metal. Near the ends, the frame piece II is provided with shorter slots I5, having a width which is greater 'than that of the slots I3, and which extends aV substantial distancey across said frame piece, so that the sections I6 of said frame piece on opposite sides of said slots I5 will be comparatively narrow. With this construction, the frame piece II will be weakest for transverse bending at the sections thereof across the slots yI5 for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

The outer ends of the two outside elongated slots I3 are desirably enlarged to form circular 4openings II to receive pins (not shown), for centering and supporting the frame piece I-I in the mold during the process of molding and vulcanizing ther rubber around said frame piece.:

In the process of forming the complete article, the frame piece II as shown in Fig. `5 is centrally supported in a mold in the mannerv above described, with the rubber to be vulcanized and molded, surrounding saidA frame piece, and the assembly is treated in said mold under the lusual molding and vulcanizing temperature and pressure of rubber. present case, the pressure may be 1800 lbsper square inch, and the temperature 289 F. By` this process, the rubber will form an integral jacket I2, firmly embracing the frame piece II, and having sections I9 extending through the slots I3 and I5, so that said rubber jacket and said frame piece are interwoven into one` firm inseparable unit.

The transverse frame piece sections I4 interspacing the slots I3, as well as the transverse sections 20, Spacing the series of slots I3` from the end slots I5, are highly desirable, for

they serve as anchoring abutments for the sec.

tions I9 of the rubber extending therethrough, so that slippage of the jacket I2 with respect to said frame piece is prevented. These transverse frame sections I4 and 20 also serve to impart transverse rigidity to the frame piece II,

especially necessary to effectively resist the vul-y In the.

rounded. This rounding of the outer edges may comfortably Worn on said finger. The outer face 22 of the rubber jacket l2, adapted to directly engage the sheets to be manipulated, is provided with an antiskid frictional surface 23. This antiskid surface is desirably formed by an embossed design, in the form of letters or members molded into the rubber, and indicating source of origin, size or the like.

The rubber jacket l2 may be of any desired color. It may be highly colored, as for instance blue, to present a pleasing contrasting appearance with respect to the finger to which it is applied, or it may conform in color with that of the finger nails to satisfy the aesthetic emotions of the women. If desired, it may be flesh color, so that it is inconspicuous when applied to the fingers.

In applying the finger clip to an operating finger of one hand, the straight clip as shown in Fig. 2 is held between the thumb and the index finger of the other hand, with the smooth inner side 2| of said clip in engagement with the inner face of said operating linger, and the clip bent by the holding fingers around said operating finger, so that the clip will assume substantially the contour of the operating linger as shown in Fig. 1. In order to more firmly hold the clip on the operating nger, the ends thereof may be bent inwardly more sharply, either to conform with the contour of the outer surface of the operi ating finger or to make the ends of the clip bear inwardly on said outer surface to more firmly hold the clip in position. The transverse weakened sections at the end of the frame piece Il formed by the slots I5 as already explained permit the ends of the clip to be bent more acutely than the intermediate portion for the purpose above specified.

In the operation of the clip I0 as for instance in counting paper money or dealing cards from a stack, the antiskid surface 23 of the clip mounted on lthe thumb of the operator is made to bear against the top sheet of the stack, while said thumb is moved in a direction to cause slippage of said sheet with respect to the remainder of the stack. Since thel clip l0 is very light and of simple construction, the operator is hardly conscious that he is wearing said clip, except for its effectiveness in slipping the sheets successively from the stack. The finger on which the clip is mounted still retains its sense of touch, especially necessary in the counting of paper money.

The clip shown in Figs. l to 5 may be applied to the thumb or any other finger according to the whim of the particular operator, or use to which it is to be put. If, for instance, it is desired to use the clip on the little finger as for instance for the purpose of turning over the sheets of a book, and if the clip shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is too large for the size of said finger, a smaller clip may be provided as shown in Fig. 6. 'Ihis clip, with its metal frame piece lla, embedded in a rubber jacket lZa, is in all respects the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, except that its size is much smaller, and there are two elongated slots I3 instead of three, in order to accommodate for the shorter length of the frame piece used.

The clip of the present invention is free from all comparatively complicated attachments such as clamps and the like, and the interwoven inseparable connection between the frame piece and the rubber jacket free from adhesive and the like prevents possible slippage of the jacket with respect to the frame piece, and possible separation of the parts. The metal portion of the clip is entirely concealed, so that it does not come in contact with the fingers or the sheets being manipulated, to cause injury to the same,

and the clip may be easily washed and dried vvithql out affecting its efficient operation. Furthermore, the clip can be easily applied requiring a mere finger manipulation, and is easily adjustable for application to fingers of different size and shape.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An antiskid finger clip for manipulating sheet-like material, comprising a one-piece jacket of resilient material, and a frame core of pliant metal, embedded in said jacket, and having one or more apertures, said jacket having sections thereof extending through said apertures to interlock said frame core and said jacket into an inseparable unit.

2. An antiskid finger clip for manipulating sheet-like material, including a strip-like rubber jacket, and a strip-like frame core of pliant metal embedded in said jacket and extending substantially the full length thereof, said frame` core being provided at opposite ends thereof with slots forming transverse weakened sections, to permit the e'nds of said clip to be easily bent transversely more acutely than the intermediatev section thereof.

3. An antiskid finger clip for manipulating sheet-like material, comprising a one-piece striplike rubber jacket, and a strip-like frame core of pliant metal, embedded in said jacket and extending substantially the full length thereof, said frame core having one or more elongated slots extending lengthwise thereof in its intermediatel portion, and sai-d rubber jacket having portions thereof extending through said slot or slots. j

4. A1 finger clip for manipulating sheet-like material, comprising a one-piece strip-like rubber jacket, having a substantially smoothk surface on one side thereof and an embossed design on the other side affording an antiskid surface, and a strip-like frame core of ductile metal, embedded in said rubber jacket, and extending substantially the full length thereof, said frame core having a series of elongated slots in the intermediate portion thereof, extending lengthwise'` of said frame core and separated by transverse sections of said core, and slots near opposite ends of said core, forming weakened transverse sec-. tions to permit easy transverse bending of said core ends, saidV jacket having sections thereof, extending through all of said slots, whereby saidI core and said jacket are interwoven an-d inter'-l` locked into an inseparable unit. :j

GEORGE HUBERT RIVES. `1 

